Aussie Author Challenge 2012 – Guest Blogger – June

As part of the Aussie Author Challenge 2012, each month I will be inviting an active challenge participant to guest post here at Booklover Book Reviews.

Last month Psych Babbler from Over Cups of Coffee joined us and now in June I welcome guest blogger Shelleyrae from Book’d Out. Shelleyrae is one of the most prolific book bloggers I follow and she has been a huge supporter of Aussie authors and great participant in the Aussie Author Challenge.

Tell us a bit about yourself Shelleyrae and the types of books you feature on your blog, Book’d Out:

I’m not very interesting honestly, I live in a small country town on the mid north coast of NSW with my husband and four children, and I read – a lot. I do other things occasionally – like the housework, teach and take on freelance design work but given the choice, I read. I started Book’d Out nearly two years ago with no real expectations but I am delighted by the opportunities it has given me to become part of a community with people who love reading as much as I do, contact with authors and publishers and a legitimate excuse to read more! I’m a fairly eclectic reader which my blog reflects though mainly I feature adult genre fiction.

What are the last 5 books by Australian authors you have read/reviewed?

Which Australian author do you think deserves broader recognition and why?

I hate the thought of only choosing one, so perhaps a handful: Kirsty Eagar, a YA author whose three novels have all been brilliant, Malla Nunn, her crime series featuring Detective Emmanuel is excellent, YA Erskine for her hard hitting crime fiction expose’s and Kylie Ladd whose contemporary fiction novels are all favourites of mine.

The Aussie Author Challenge Soapbox is at your disposal…

It used to be that I would complain bitterly about geographical restrictions, irritated that there were titles I couldn’t access from the US. While it’s still something that annoys me, lately I have found myself frustrated that the US find it practically impossible to access books by Australian authors.

I know that it is a complex issue, but how on earth can Australian publishers hope to compete and even grow the business if they don’t make any effort to compete in a global marketplace. I do understand the drawbacks of print distribution overseas (cost, infrastructure, representation etc), so that selling the print rights to overseas publishers (which is rare) makes more sense – but electronic distribution is another matter altogether.

Most publishers now offer ebooks via international online retailers such as Amazon and Google Play yet in many cases they aren’t available to residents outside Australia. To me it seems they are ignoring not only a financial opportunity to strengthen the ailing Australian publishing world but also the opportunity to share the talents of Australia’s authors with the world. Harper Collins is the first of the publishers to recognise this, announcing this month the creation of HarperCollins 360, a global publishing program for its authors. The goal of the initiative is to ensure that all books published by any division of HarperCollins around the world are available in print or digital format in all English-language markets. When the program is fully implemented, the HarperCollins global catalog — 50,000 print books and 40,000 e-books — will be available, limited only by the rights held, not by technology or geography. Authors published in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, India, and Canada will be listed, published, and available to booksellers and consumers in the U.S. through the HarperCollins global print and digital platforms that include regional warehousing with on-site printing machines.

This is exactly what all publishers should be considering, especially with their backlist titles, and especially with digital distribution.

It’s been a pleasure having you join us today Shelleyrae!

Great soapbox topic – it is such a shame that international readers of our blogs that are interested in the books we are discussing here in Australia, are often unable to purchase copies in their countries.

Oh, I must correct you on one point though, when you said you are not very interesting. You would not have such a popular blog if that were the case 😉

When looking for your next Aussie read, take the time to check out Book’d Out.

Jackie – Lovely way of looking at it, and great to hear you are importing Aussie titles. I know since starting my book blog a few years ago my knowledge of what’s available to me here in Australia, either by ‘free international shipping’ or ebook has grown exponentially… shame many still limit themselves to book titles on display at their local department stores when there is a seemingly endless selection available.

On a positive note – at least blogging means we are now aware of which Australian books we don’t have access to. In the past I’d have never have heard of these authors, but I now import 2 or 3 books from Australia each year, thanks to recommendations from bloggers. Congratulations for bringing these books to our attention. Let’s hope the publishers start to take them around the world!